Love Is A Four Letter Word
by Padfoot's Pawprint
Summary: Gajeel Redfox is no fool when it comes to knowing what he does and does not like. It just so happens that many of those things are four letter words, each of them littered across his time line like stars in the sky.
1. Chapter 1: Lily

**So this is...new. Like I've mentioned in **_**Behind Closed Doors**_**, I am a beginner when it comes to writing Fairy Tail fics. I can only hope that these drabbles are worthy of people read and reviewed! I'm releasing this now as a Christmas present, but also because another oneshot compilation of mine will be ending soon and i figured "why not make another one!"**

**I hope you enjoy what I've tried to put together**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>: **Lily**

"You're really cute when you play with Lily, you know that?"

When those words had left Levy's lips, he had become more than perplexed with her statement. Him? _Cute_?

"I don't _play_ with my cat."

"Sure, you don't," she said, completely unconvinced and fixing him with her brown eyes as they surveyed him from above her current novel. "You _don't_ tease each other back and forth, you _don't_ go out of your way to make him comfortable, and you _definitely_ don't pat him just to hear him purr late at night." He sat there, stunned into his current position. Could his dragon slayer ears have truly betrayed him? Had she said- "Lily talks to me too, you know!"

So that was why. It had been his damnable cat spreading rumours. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear, Shorty."

"But it came from the source," she said, a teasing smile on her lips, "so it must be true." The cat in question was sitting at the bar with Mira, Happy and Charle nearby. Lily was being the ever patient listener, as Gajeel could hear only Mira speaking. He seemed to be enjoying the topic of conversation and Gajeel resigned himself to likely have the tale retold to him on his way home. All the same, he seemed completely oblivious to being the subject of their conversation, his dark tail slowly flicking side to side without a care in the world. He and Pantherlily did not _play_ with one another. They would spar, perhaps tease each other, but Gajeel Redfox did not _play_ with his Exceed.

"I think you're imaginin' things," he got out gruffly, standing up rather dramatically.

"I don't think I am," Levy chirped cheerily, laughing as he tried to silence her with a glare. "It's not so bad, Gajeel. It's good to be attached to someone like Lily. It's healthy and," she paused to search for a word before deciding on, "adorable."

"Adorable?"

"Sure. I mean, as adorable as a dragon slayer like you can get."

He tsked, ruffled her blue hair by means of a goodbye, and made for the door without another word. Gajeel did not tell Lily that he was leaving. Why should he even attempt it? The cat was clearly comfortable where he sat, and the dragon slayer knew that his Exceed would make his way home eventually. However, he wasn't even half way down the cobbled street that the guild sat on when he heard Lily flying towards him. Gajeel didn't bother turning his head, nor even acknowledging the Exceed when he landed on his broad shoulder.

"You know, you could have told me you wanted to leave," he said curtly.

"And cut short your talk with the demon? I don't think so, Lil."

"It is so nice of you to care, Gajeel, it brings me to tears," Lily's sarcasm was palpable, "but I really wouldn't have minded. Besides, you and Levy looked so comfortable." He growled a warning but the cat just chuckled, getting more comfortable on his shoulder. "You can't hide it from me, my friend, I can basically read your mind."

"Sure you can." Gajeel made the appropriate turns, a hand digging for his key as they neared their flat. "What am I thinkin' about right now?"

Lily was silent with thought, a paw on his mouth, before answering. "About getting a mission that'll involve iron." Gajeel clicked his tongue at the accuracy and Lily laughed outright at his companion. "I knew I was right."

"Shut up."

"You can't hide from me," he said again, voice filled with amusement. "I _live_ with you, in case you have forgotten." Gajeel smirked, something he had been doing more often than before, his serious countenance marred by the playful quirk of his mouth. "You aren't as mysterious as you make yourself out to be."

"Whatever you say," he snapped back, except there was no harshness in it, all of it lost on the black cat who merely swung his legs down Gajeel's broad shoulder. They continued on together in companionable silence, and he knew that the aura surrounding his furry partner was one of content.

The back and forth happened rather often with them, and Gajeel was secretly glad that he was someone he hadn't scared away yet. Lily was a good friend to have, the best really, and often Gajeel wondered if duty was the only thing keeping his dark companion with him. However, he was often quick to perish the thought. It was well known between the pair of them that Lily was just as adept at reading people as Gajeel was the best in scent related tasks. In those senses, they were both skilled, and Gajeel had almost gotten a lecture for having negative thoughts when Lily caught him brooding just a week ago. The cat knew his expressions and mind far too well, and, in retrospect, it probably was a good thing.

If he wasn't going to let anyone in, at least his cat could be somewhere in his hard, iron heart.

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><p><strong>Thoughts? Questions? Comments? Concerns?<strong>

**Please R&R and Happy Holidays!**


	2. Chapter 2: Iron

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>**: Iron**

If there was one thing that any and every mage in Fairy Tail had to know, it was that you did not interfere with Gajeel Redfox and his iron meals. You could bring most mages away from their food without too much of a hassle (demanding a fight being the most effective way) but Gajeel was not just any Fairy Tail mage, and he was not the type to play with his food. It was a sad day for the idiot that decided to interrupt his meals, and nobody on the face on the face of the planet could get away with it without a growl or growl except the two beings sitting with him at the current time.

And Gajeel was tough like the metal he consumed and didn't hesitate to make it known when people other than a certain pair interrupted him. Few Fairy Tail mages were brave enough to bother him when he ate, and he was always loath to be separated from the shine of a crowbar or the crunch from a rusty beam.

"Gajeel?" The man didn't bother to look up at his companion's call. She tried again, pouting when she was ignored a second time. "It's rude to ignore someone, you know?"

He made a big show of swallowing the metal in his mouth before saying, "It's rude to talk with yer mouth full too. I'm gonna be rude either way, Shorty." Gajeel heard her growl at him and he couldn't help but snicker at her reaction trying to at least fix her with a semi-interested look. "You got something to say?"

"Yes, I do actually." She shut her book, not bothering with the ornamental bookmark that sat untouched at the end of her tome. "Do dragon slayers have taste buds?"

"What kind of dumb ass-"

"It's not a stupid question, Gajeel," said Levy, not seeming to take offense to his hostility. Not like she used to, anyway. "I'm just curious. It's not like there's a book for everything; especially for something like that."

"Really? 'Cuz the last time that we spoke, I think you said that-"

"Stop it," said Levy, embarrassed at the memory. "That was a hyperbole, and you know it."

"Don't use big words to try and distract me, Shrimp," he ground out instead, stuffing a handful of nails into his mouth. Gajeel allowed himself a few more greedy mouthfuls before looking back at Levy, expecting her to be staring him down with a relatively frustrated expression. However her countenance merely remained one of curiosity, and with a resigned sigh, he supposed that she deserved at least _some_ semblance of an answer. "We have taste buds, so everything still tastes like something. The thing 'bout iron is that it's an element so the taste is unreal."

"So iron tastes like...?" she supplied, leaning in a bit to show her interest.

"I dunno how to describe it. It just tastes better."

"Tastes better how?"

"Like I said, I can't explain it. It's just better. Iron is easy to bite through like real thick bread, kinda crunchy too if you've got good quality iron, like carrots, and the taste...couldn't describe it enough to do it justice…."

"Wow," she said, fascinated. "That good?"

Gajeel nodded before he was struck by a cunning thought, the mere idea sending a thrill through his great form. His stomach grumbled at being denied food, but he popped a bar of the shiny metal into his mouth, chewing it idly while she watched him with expectant eyes. She wanted him to elaborate again – could see it in the way she shamelessly stared at him. As much as he enjoyed her attention, he was unsettled slightly by their openness and innocence. He did not often see that look and, from her, it was something he thought suited her rather well.

He leaned forward, as if to tell her a secret, before pressing his lips to hers. If Gajeel had wanted to see who was watching them, then kissing Levy would certainly have brought them crawling from the woodwork. He could hear exclamations come from Levy's fellow teammates and groupies, and could hear Mira telling Macao to pay up because she had 'so totally called it'.

But Gajeel couldn't really pay attention to Titania's 'it's about time' remark or even Natsu's laugh at Lucy's squeal of delight. No, he only had eyes for Levy, whose own light coloured orbs were boring into his with complete shock and surprise. Her lips were as soft and warm as he thought they would be, and as much as he wished to deepen it in any and all ways, he knew that this wasn't the moment to make the depth of his affections known.

He pulled back almost as suddenly as when he had started the kiss and relaxed into his normal position, watching with satisfaction as Levy's face burned from embarrassment. "Get a taste of that?" he asked coyly, watching her hold her flushed cheeks as if it could stop the dark colour from coating them. He wasn't sure she was aware of it, but at the word taste, she had licked her lips as if Gajeel's mouth had managed to transfer the untastable iron on hers. He found it cute.

"Yeah," she said softly, completely dazed.

"Pretty good?" he posed, taking a bite of another iron bar as his question sunk in. He knew that she would recognize the double meaning and savoured the satisfaction of hearing her reply:

"Yeah; the best."

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><p><strong>R&amp;R!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3: Rain

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Rain<strong>

"Gajeel. May I speak with you?" The dragon slayer stopped in his tracks, looking around the guild hall for the source of the voice. It didn't take long to spot her and, when saw her walking towards him in all her aqua haired glory, he grinned a greeting.

"Well, well, well. Look at you," he said approvingly. "No honorific this time?"

"N-no," she stuttered, watching him take a seat at a nearby table. She took a seat net to him rather than across from him like most normally did. "Does it bother you?"

"Nah, not from you." Gajeel took a moment to assess her outfit, a shorter blue summer dress than that of her normal dresses, before asking. "You got a date or something?"

"Oh! No, not at all," she fluttered, hands wringing themselves out on her lap. "The only date Juvia would ever go on would be with Gray-sama. Ah!" She blushed before saying, "I mean, Gray."

"This is new. Snow Stripper's got you calling his real name now, huh?" The large man snorted, imagining how _that_ conversation would have gone. His watery friend would have probably fainted at the mere idea that Gray had 'honoured' her with saying his name. "About damn time, too."

"Thank you, Gajeel," she said brightly, blue eyes looking at him excitedly. "But Juvia really wants to know just one thing."

"Sure. What's up?"

"Juvia wants to know how Levy-chan is treating you." He looked surprised by her question, too stunned to even answer. How was _Levy_ treating _him_? "Gajeel does not have to answer," she said lightly. "Juvia will understand."

"'S not that," he grumbled, looking away from her. Juvia had always managed to surprise him, be it with words, choices or strength. She had been the only person he truly acknowledged at the old guild, and even at this new one, they were close, if not closer, than they used to be. Juvia had only ever been the sole person that he could even consider for missions in the past and even in the present. He tried to withhold the inner feelings of embarrassment and happiness at her inquiry, but he knew that she would sense it in him anyway.

And she did. She gushed, "Oh, Gajeel," when she noticed it and he could see that she was trying to hold herself back from completely letting it go and hugging him. Fairy Tail had pulled out a more affectionate Juvia than the one he used to know, and although he was not an affectionate person, he was glad that she was relaxed enough to show this side of her in public. "You're so sweet, Gajeel."

"I didn't say nothin'," he protested, trying to dispel the colour gathering in his face.

"Gajeel did not have to," said Juvia kindly, hands now laced together at her chest. He glanced over at her - his first mistake - and saw that she was giving him a wide, caring look, one that he'd never truly been given by anyone except her and Levy. He regretted meeting her eyes and tried to look away again. "Juvia knows Gajeel too well, just as Gajeel knows Juvia well."

"At least _you_ know." Gajeel leaned against the table and stared out the open guildhall doors.

Juvia heard the depressive undertone in his voice and she placed a hand atop his shoulder just a bit above his guild mark. "You are important to Juvia," she told him, and the seriousness he sensed now prompted him to face her. "Your happiness is also important. Juvia needs to know that Levy-chan is not simply hurting Gajeel and leading him on."

"She doesn't hurt me," he said quickly and watched his friend visibly relax. The mere idea that Levy could injure him physically was actually humorous. However, injuring him emotionally would not be very far fetched. "And I don't even think she knows what it means to lead someone on."

"Levy-chan is aware," said Juvia confidently. "Juvia has spoken to her about it already."

"You what?" While his tone was one of outrage, he knew that she would hear fear and embarrassment instead.

"She has told Juvia of her intentions, but Juvia trusts Gajeel's words more."

"She has intentions?" He blinked with surprised and threw a pointed look in Levy's direction. As it turned out, she was looking at him as well, and she gave a curt wave before turning away and continuing her conversation with her blond best friend.

"Yes, but Juvia wants to know how Gajeel is interpreting these intentions."

"I didn't even know she had intentions," Gajeel said, frowning. "Are you sure you didn't, I dunno, read her wrong?" Juvia gave him an unamused look, raising a delicate eyebrow at him. "Right, never mind."

"So?" Juvia prodded his arm hopefully. "How does Levy-chan treat you?"

"I don't know what you mean 'bout intentions," Gajeel's eyes drifted to Levy's back, managing to catch her tilting her head in a laugh. She was so pretty… "but she's been kinder than I deserve. Too kind."

"She has been well with you then?"

"…yeah."

"Juvia is relieved!" she exclaimed excitedly. She moved to hug him but Gajeel quickly turned to her, both hands raised to stop.

"No. No hugs."

"Oh, but-" She lunged for him and he quickly stood, hands still out in front of him.

"No fuckin' hugs," he growled again, eyeing the rain woman warily.

"But we-" She began to protest before he cut her off.

"Not in public, we don't, and never without a hell of a good reason," he hissed at her, his eyes scanning the guild to make sure no one had heard him. Juvia's face lit up, and he knew that she was probably thinking that that was a sort of confession for how much he trusted her and cared about her as friends. And sure, maybe she was a bit right, but she was years too early to know that.

Of course, she _would_ have been years too early if she didn't already know how he felt concerning her.

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><p><strong>please R&amp;R<strong>


	4. Chapter 4: Hand

**And here is a gift for the fourth day of Christmas!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter<strong> **4: Hand**

It is very late at night, when Lily is curled up on the pillow next to him and the moon is glaring down through his small window, that Gajeel hears something very strange. He is used to many things like the cold from sleeping on the streets after Metallicana's disappearance or the crunch of iron beneath his steely teeth. Even the groans of an injured enemy and the pounding of a man's fist on his door, shouting for a fight, is familiar to him. This mouse's knock is not. Being a dragon slayer allows all senses to be heightened and so Gajeel can hear the moment the person outside his apartment touches the wood on his door, the finger sliding down to the center before tapping lightly. He struggles for a moment, mentally trying to decipher whether there is someone outside to see him or if he is simply hearing things again, his mind clouded with sleep. The tapping happens again and this time Gajeel takes a breath in, exhaling tiredly when he realizes who is at his door.

He rolls out of bed quickly, quietly enough to ensure that his Exceed has not woken up from such and act before shuffling towards the entrance, not caring as his cold flesh plows through the metal hills about his house. The iron rods do not poke him nor do the nails cut through his skin, but he knows enough to keep each metal in its place lest Lily hurt himself accidentally again.

Or if he has a guest.

When Gajeel opens the door, he is greeted by the sight of his other small companion, the girl with blue hair and the smile that he would kill to protect. He doesn't even blink when she slips into his house, shivering in her pale night gown. He has no idea what she is doing in his home, and honestly he is too tired to care because _who the fuck visits people when they should be sleeping_, but she looks nervous and hesitant and _cold_ so he has to ask.

"What the fuck do you think yer doin' this early in the mornin', shrimp?" The words come out slurred and crude, not as clear or kind as he had hoped but it is really late and he is going to pass out and go right back to sleep if she doesn't say anything.

Which she doesn't. She makes him wait a moment, rubbing her arms to keep warm and tugging at the sleeves of the thin dress that, Gajeel idly thinks, looks both sexy and stupid on her. The summer days were hot enough to kill but the nights are not as humid as they always seemed to be. Some nights made you want to sleep at Gray's house and others seemed to coincide perfectly with winds that came in from the north of Fiore. The latter exists today, and Gajeel is trying to think of something he could do to cease her invariable trembling. He trudges through the silence to his fire place, which is of modest size since he and Lily do not need it that often, and he manages to strike up a match and set the logs ablaze.

Levy sighs the instant he does this and races over to the flames, hands stretched out as if she could gather up the small inferno and hold it to her body. "Thanks." It is the first thing she's said to him, and Gajeel lets out an uncontrolled sigh of relief. If she could still speak, the reason for her visit could not be that serious. While she warms herself, Gajeel moves to his couch, laying on it sideways so he can still observe her. The golden glow coats her skin prettily, her white gown seeming to be made of suncloth instead. Her bandana is off, a sign that she is incredibly relaxed and about to sleep if the nightgown hadn't already given it away, and Gajeel's muddied mind is still attempting to make out a reason for her appearance. There is a grander part of him that does not truly care for her reason, a part that wishes to return to his bed that he knows to still be warm and sleep once more. But he cares for this freezing girl that smells so much of ink and parchment that it makes his head hurt trying to recall ever learning to read, something she takes great pleasure in. He cares because he knows that she has not traveled across Magnolia to bask in his presence at such a godless hour. She would not risk getting sick or traveling alone at such a time as this and this intrigues him. A few moments pass before she speaks again. He has almost drifted back to sleep but her soft voice startles him out of it, coaxing and apologetic from invading his home so late at night.

"I didn't think you were going to open the door." He doesn't speak, deciding simply to watch her through heavy lidded red eyes. "I know that you're a light sleeper, but lately you haven't been getting much sleep so I thought maybe you'd be in a really deep sleep tonight." Gajeel is surprised that she has even noticed how the shadows under his eyes have been accumulating because of his frequent trips to see Makarov's damned son. Even if she hasn't seen the real reason, she sees a change in him all the same, and he is thrilled that she has paid him such attention. "Is Lily already in bed?" He nods. "That's good. I just wanted to speak with you."

He raises an eyebrow, his piercings moving as he opens his lips. "N' why's that?"

"I just needed to ask you something." She moves over to his couch on her knees and sits on her legs at his side, staring up at him with a familiar curiousity in her eye. "Can I see your hand?"

"No."

"Gajeel-"

"I said no." He rolls over so he faces the couch instead, his bare back the only thing she can see.

"Why not?"

"Why are you _here_?" he asks instead, tensing when her hand comes to drift through his hair, running her small fingers through long black strands.

"I needed to ask you something," she reaffirms. "And I need you to give me your hand so I can ask you."

"That sounds stupid."

Levy pauses before saying, "You can't keep trying to help me without touching me. I see you all the time. You work around me but not with me."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he groans tired, turning back around very quickly and not expecting her face to be so close. They both freeze a moment, but Levy is too embarrassed and Gajeel is too tired so they stay that way, stalled, frozen in time. Now he knows why she is here and what exactly has brought her to him.

Her hands flutter down onto his fists and slowly, very slowly, he opens them to her. He notices a soft smile grace her lips, the pink flesh murmuring a "thank you" as her fingertips run up and down the lines of his skin, tracing scars and calluses with care. He can see her own skin scarred as well, permanently marked by what he has done, but her gentleness distracts him from his darker thoughts, pulling him back to the present where he can spend all day with her and not feel like shit; where he is not the biggest asshole on the face of the planet but a protector and friend to this girl. When she moves her fingers through his, he hesitates to hold back. But Levy is no fool. She can see these things from a mile away which is likely why she has come to him in his most vulnerable state; because when he is tired, he cares enough to answer but doesn't care enough to put up a fight.

When his hand finally curls around hers he sighs, as if it has taken all his effort just to keep her skin touching his.

"Not so hard, is it?"

"Whatever."

When Gajeel awakes in the morning, he finds himself in his bed, Lily curled up between himself and the blue haired girl he has come to care for. And he has managed to hold her hand the entire night.

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><p><strong>R&amp;R!<strong>

**(Warning: these drabbles are set in no particular order! I really should have mentioned that in chapter one...)**


	5. Chapter 5: Book

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Book<strong>

It was disgusting to stand there and to breathe it in. He could practically smell the dust and age that each book held, reminding him of the ash that once clung to his father's wings after a particularly long flight over a burning village. But the tomes were post ash creations, budding with tales that would exist years after the name Gajeel Redfox faded off the earth, his name forgotten by every one and every thing. The entire room smelled of the rich ink that Levy loved so much. Lily rather liked books as well, if only for a good place to sleep and relax in the daylight hours.

Gajeel! It's over here!" Levy's sky kissed locks peeked over the stack of books that surrounded her, an orange bandana holding back each strand.

The dragon slayer sighed but did not move, arms folded across the broad expanse of his chest with a bored expression. "Where?"

"Here!" Her head bowed down behind the books before she reappeared to him, slipping through stacks of think books till her frame stood before him. The book clutched to her chest was faded, its face painted in chipped golden swirls and a rich mahogany. The scent of leather and faint ink lingered between the pages, each sheet tattered by time. There was something else there too, though; something familiar and old to him all at once.

"What is it?" He was both affronted and excited by the scent, knowing that he should not be getting his hopes up by a coincidence like this.

"I found this yesterday before dinner. I wanted to show it to you."

"I don't read."

"Yes, you do," she said dismissively, "even if you don't like to talk about it." She shoved the book into his hands, letting go of it suddenly and forcing him to touch it; _hold_ it."Look through it with me. I want to know how accurate it is."

"It's just paper," he grumbled, but she took it as consent and began flipping through the thin pages, eyes scanning the script in search of something he did not see.

"How about this?" She pointed to a mangled group of ancient letters sitting atop a picture of a dragon curled around a purple lump. He watched as she smoothed out the sheet from the corner of his eye, and quickly looked away when she peered up to ask him a question. "Do you know if this is true?"

"What's it supposed to say, shrimp?"

"It says 'a dragon will rarely leave their young for long periods of time to ensure that the baby is well protected and warmed by only the dragon. To have another warm the egg for them would be to abandon the baby'. Do dragons really think like that?"

"'Course. To leave the kid is to fuck 'im over permanently. Any dragon knows that."

"How about this one?" Levy flipped through the pages again, this time to a picture of two dragons arching around each other in the skies. The words were shorter and seemed to run like some of the incantation Gajeel had seen in Levy's books before. "It basically says that all dragons, even the ones based in earth elements are drawn the the sky and the aspect of freedom. Is this accurate as well?"

"Sure, why not? Who wants to be caged down?"

"Is that how you feel?"

He looked away from her intense eyes and stared out the window, blinking away the sunlight. He was getting the sinking feeling that Levy was expecting a specific answer from him; like she was trying to trick him into saying something he did not truly mean. "Sometimes."

"What do you mean 'sometimes'?" When he didn't answer, he heard her huff cutely. "Gajeel Redfox, you answer me right now or-"

"Quit your yappin', shrimp. I feel like a lil' freedom once in a while. No big deal."

"But not all the time?" she hedged.

"Too much freedom ain't good for anyone, least of all a dragon."

"I see...and how about this line it says? It mentions that a pair of dragons can mate once and never again. They are mated for...I think it says 'life'. Is that true too, Gajeel?" He grunted his affirmative. "Ah, I see. That explains why Natsu is so loyal to Lucy."

"The Flamebrain is at her beck and call not just cuz of dragon stuff. He's just whipped," scoffed Gajeel, who had Levy there to smack him in the shoulder.

"That's not nice to say."

"You tellin' me it ain't true?"

"No..."

"Thought so. They're probably mates, although that ain't such a great thing for him."

"And why is that? You don't approve of Lucy?" she teased.

"It's not that. Mating is dangerous stuff, shrimp. He can't change his mind but she can change hers anytime she wants. That wouldn't be good for any male, least of all a dragon slayer."

She was quite for a moment, thoughtful, and Gajeel was afraid that perhaps he'd said the wrong thing again. "You make it sound like mating with someone is a bad thing."

"It can be," he shrugged, "if you don't find the right person."

"And if you do?"

He smirked at her. "Then that slayer'd be lucky as hell." He waited until she smiled back to stand up and stretch, glancing at the grandfather clock that sat against the wall. "Now forget about all this dragon stuff. We're to eat dinner at the guild today. Apparently, Mira's gonna put on a little show."

"Is she?" Levy perked up instantly, shoving the dragon book into her book bag as though she had forgotten about it although Gajeel highly doubted that. "It's been a while since she's performed. I wonder what she's gonna sing tonight."

"Dunno. But we best get moving if we want seats."

"Right."

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><p><strong>Please R&amp;R<strong>


	6. Chapter 6: Hide

**Sorry! I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so i wasn't able to post the chapters. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: Hide<strong>

Gajeel Redfox was no stranger to the dangers of the world. As a street rat and an orphan, stealing and running had easily become his strongest skills. If caught, he would no doubt be subject to a rough interrogation and a beating or two. All in all, it had sounded awful and after getting caught early on in life, Gajeel vowed to be the best thief, and that meant being the best at concealing himself in all situations.

But this was different. The fear of running from an angry baker with a rolling pin was nothing compared to this. The breathless laughter as he wove between people on the street was a Gajeel that did not know true anxiety. The Gajeel of the past did not know the pulsing of adrenaline through his thin veins, his arms and legs pumping to create more space between himself and the monster that sought. A younger Gajeel would not be able to comprehend how the current youth could sprint through the trees, ducking past fallen trunks and frightened animals at the speed that the Gajeel of the present could barely maintain.

He turned a corner, his hand skipping out to help balance himself, his feet nearly tripped on the branches below him. He couldn't set the creature, no, but he could certainly hear him..

And it was getting closer.

Gajeel kept running, and he ran until his red eyes fixed on the spaces ahead. There had to be a better spot to hide in. He kept going, running and running until he heard the creature's voice boom through the forest. "COMING!"

Gajeel swore and glanced around desperately. Then, he remembered that the beast would not expect him in the trees, so that was where he went, climbing up and up until he couldn't go any further. He hid in the soft foliage and tried to breathe as gently as he could. The muscles beneath his skin grew taunt in an effort to be still and he hid there, scanning the grounds for the beast. He had never been so scared of anything in his entire life. The boy hugged the wood between his arms tightly, fingers curling around the bark until it was cutting into the delicate skin of his palm. He was covered in small wounds already; from the cuts that speckled his arms to the rocks that were probably embedded in his feet.

There was a distinct thump nearby and Gajeel's breath caught. The creature was close, but perhaps it wouldn't find the boy. He had been running for quite a while, however the safety of the trees was slowly losing its flavour. The creature was grand, clever, and would find him without blinking an eye; and yet there was nowhere left to run. The forest was vast, but leaping from bough to bough would alert the monster faster than if Gajeel had shouted in fear. He wished, without much hope, that someone would save him; somebody strong. Somebody like-

The creature took giant steps, the sound echoing through he forest in a way that sent a shudder through every living thing and stopping Gajeel's thoughts in their tracks. He could only focus on the sound of the beast's breathing before it's head appeared from the shadows and roared in the boy's face. Gajeel's arms came up to shield him from the air and sound that blasted out from the fearsome throat. He tried to hold his breath but his father had already taught him too much and his dragon senses picked up on the subtle smell of meat and fire. When the roar ceased, the boy faced the creature with the same bravery his father had taught him to display and did his best to roar, to frighten, to _scare_. He tried to put all of his strength into the roar that Metallicana had urged him to practice. When he was out of air, he saw the creature take a step back, hesitate, pull back the skin about its jaws as if to eat him and-

"That was pathetic," growled Metallicana, snorting at Gajeel's angry expression.

"'s not my fault. You weren't supposed ta find me like that!."

"It was yer own fault, brat," the dragon scoffed and his shining tail reached up to curl around the boy's torso, lifting him up and placing him on his metal clad shoulders. "You should know better than to play your game with a dragon."

"It was _hide-and-seek_! I didn't think you'd find my hiding spot!"

"You were quick, I'll give you that." Metallicana snaked his way through the forest, Gajeel nestled safely between his shoulder and neck so he wouldn't fall off.

"You count too fast."

"Yeah, that's why." Gajeel leaned against Metallicana's scales, wrapping his arms about his father's neck.

"I want a rematch."

"It is doable," he affirmed, "_if_ you master the hammer transformation."

"But it's _hard_."

"It's supposed ta be, brat. Life ain't an easy thing and neither is slayer magic." The boy grumbled against his father's scales and Metallicana let out a laugh. "We will battle tomorrow then."

"Really?"

"NO!" The dragon let out a roar of laughter and Gajeel allowed the rumbling of his father's voice settle into his own skin and relax him. "Only after yer trainin'."

"Fine." He rested the crown of his head against his father's neck and before he knew it, his eyes were drooping dangerously low.

"Sleep." His father commanded it with his low, gravely voice and the sound soothed Gajeel right into unconsciousness, the thoughts of another game with his father drifting about his mind in the dark.

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><p><strong>Please R&amp;R<strong>


	7. Chapter 7: Test

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 7: Test<strong>

The instructions had been simple; gain Ivan Dreyar's trust and report back to Makarov. It had always been the plan, his main goal, his challenge. He had been so eager to please so prepared to make things right between Makarov and himself that Gajeel didn't think twice when he'd been offered this mission but still...

"Their progress is still slow, which I expected! And there have been no changes?"

"No, not since Mirajane Strauss unlocked her Satan Soul again."

"Indeed, that was upsetting. And by extension, it was your fault, my son. But," added Ivan, his eye gleaming at Laxus' still form. "It was not truly your fault. Your foolish posse was at fault for that."

Gajeel glanced at the thunder dragon slayer and was his impressed by how well he'd schooled his expression to make it appear as though he did not care. He could hear the other man's pulse quicken slightly but Ivan hadn't noticed anything and that was mattered most. Laxus still had ties with the Thunder Legion, and he was careful not to give them away to the man he had once looked up to.

"They fucked up. It happens."

"Indeed. Which is why we've instated Gajeel to keep an eye on them, isn't that right?"

"I gotta do something interesting. They destroyed my guild, after all."

"Yes, the loss of Jose's guild was tragic but Fairy Tail is sure to pay for that. I would have suggested another crucifixion, but the effect wouldn't quite be the same, would it, Gajeel?"

The memory of that night sent shame and guilt rushing through his veins, but he knew better than to express any of that in front of the man who could kill him in an instant. Ivan was ruthless when he mocked Fairy Tail, and Gajeel was no stranger to such words. The man would do anything to elicit a reaction from his double agents; anything that would throw them off would be gold to Laxus' bastard of a father.

"Nah. They've seen it before. I gotta work on gaining the Shrimp's trust first."

"Indeed." Gajeel watched Ivan stand before his, his little demon scurrying around his shoulders to settle about his ear as if to whisper something. He wished to leave by knowing that Ivan hadn't dismissed them forbade any movement from happening. Laxus looked bored with his father already, his eyes fixed on the windows outside of Ivan's office. His traveling cloak was worn, and dusty; Gajeel expected a beach to appear the moment Laxus decided to shake out the fabric. Neither dragon slayer moved, however, and they waited on Ivan's slow breaths for any word. He allowed his eyes a peek at the sky, and realized that dawn was just around the corner, the rays of light sneaking into the dark that had reigned just before the rest of the guild woke up. He hoped Lily wouldn't worry too much either; the cat was more cautious than a woman despite his outward display of relaxation. No doubt Laxus wanted to pass a latter to Gajeel for his old friends; anything to let them know that he was alive and relatively well considering Ivan's hovering. He could smell the ink and parchment in the thunder dragon slayer's pack, just between the folds of blankets that were rolled up tightly. However _giving_ it to Gajeel would have to be done away from Ivan's seemingly perfect vision.

"You know," started Ivan, drawing red and blue to him instantly, "I do believe that it is near morning and neither of you have had any sleep Perhaps you'd both like to stay a while longer."

"I got a mission lined up for today," lied Gajeel, "so as much as I'd _love_ to just campy here, I got a few thousand jewels ta earn."

"Fair enough. And you, my son?"

"I have more traveling to do; more places to see before I join you."

"If you insist, gentlemen. Off you go." Ivan turned away from them and both slayers tried not to look too eager to leave. "Oh, and Gajeel? Be sure to deliver Laxus' letters properly. We wouldn't want them falling into the wrong hands."

They exchanged a glances behind his back and left without another word until they were out of the dark guild's sights.

"I fucking hate it when he does that," grumbled Laxus, practically throwing the letters at Gajeel. The other man snatched them out of the air and didn't blink when they crinkled and crunched into his pocket with a sound of agreement. "How's the old man?"

"Still alive and annoying as ever."

"Good. Could you-"

"Always do," promised Gajeel before setting off for the train that was impossibly far away. He never thought twice about sending messages to Makarov from his grandson.

If he had the chance to contact Metalicanna, he would have taken it; there wasn't a doubt in his mind.

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><p><strong>Please R&amp;R<strong>


	8. Chapter 8: Five

**Happy New Year!**

**Here is another chapter as part of the 12 days of Christmas presents I'm giving. This chapter is actually five little drabbles as a gift for making it to 2015. Hope you're all celebrating the start of a fresh year!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairytail.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 8: Five<strong>

_**See**_

Ever since Gajeel could remember, he had been surrounded by black. It was a strong colour, according to Metallicana, and a symbol of strength, according to Jose. Still, black had never been the colour of death and despair for him. It was the colour of power, strength. Darker colours like it reminded him of Metallicana especially. Even if the metal was cold, the colour was like the backdrop of night behind his old dragon's silvery scales and he had enough of those memories to blot out any ill associations.

Indeed, black and gray had been the best colours. That is, if blue hadn't become more appealing.

_**Touch**_

"A little farther."

"If hit into something, Lev, I swear-" The whining noise increased and Gajeel tried his best to ignore it, dragging his feet down the hall.

"Relax. Have some faith in me, would you?"

"How can I when you're so small? What if I fall and I crush you?"

Levy wrinkled her nose, unsatisfied with the image that floated into her head. "That'd be very uncomfortable. Besides, you wouldn't do that to me, would you?"

"I wouldn't if I wasn't blind like _right now_."

"I said relax, Gajeel." Her hand slipped into his, squeezing his cold fingers. "We're basically here now. Are you ready?"

"Do I have to be?"

"_Gajeel_!"

"Fine." He opened his eyes, allowing Levy to draw his hand forward till it rested on the smooth skin of the forehead. The whining ceased instantly and bright red eyes shone up at him.

"See? You are good with children."

_**Hear**_

"You are very strange." Gajeel blinked twice, mutely staring at the thing before him. "You smell like a human; disgusting. But your eyes...they are strong." The thing's rumbling voice reverberated through the cave and Gajeel almost flinched at its obvious strength. "Why are you here?"

"I was cold."

"Cold?" The thing laughed loudly. "That's a pathetic reason."

"Well humans get cold and I'm cold," Gajeel shot back, pulling back his shoulders bravely. He couldn't see the creature in the dark, but he could sense where he was.

"That's a pathetic reason."

"Shut up! You don't know anything. Just leave me alone."

The thing laughed again, hot breath wafting over Gajeel's face. He couldn't detect the scent, but there was something metallic about it. It reminded him of the smiths in the town, how they worked away at burning metal to shape it just to their liking before infusing it with magic. "I know just about everything there is to know, _brat_."

"I know more than you!"

"Do you know how to destroy cities? Live on mountains? Fly?"

"No…but you probably don't!"

"And yet I do, you spoiled human. You know _nothing_."

"I know how to survive on my own."

The thing was silent, and all of a sudden Gajeel felt something wrap about his midsection and lift him up off the ground. "I could teach you how to survive anywhere on your own; to be strong enough to fight those petty battles in your town that you seen so fond of getting into." There was a strength that resonated in the thing's voice. Gajeel _knew_ strength when he heard it. He knew that the voice revealed things about one's personality and this creature filled the room with the power of his voice.

"Wha- how'd you know about those?"

"Your blood still swims with adrenaline, human. I can smell blood on you, your own and the blood others as well. You fight. But you do not win."

"I can win!"

"Not yet. But you will."

_**Smell**_

It was very slight, but it was certainly enough to distract him. Living with Lily had put the cats scent on just about everything Gajeel owned, which did not bother him as much as his friends had thought it had. Standing just outside his own home, he caught hints of many things; meat, a soup base, alcohol, all of which sat alongside with the scent of _iron_. Someone was making something in his home., which was not unusual most nights. However, there was something else there that shouldn't be; something that did not fit into his iron scented home.

He took another deep breath and shut his eyes, trying to picture what it was. He caught the food smells rather easily again and could visualize a stew sitting atop his modestly sized stove, bubbling away while being stirred at regular intervals. But there were other scents there too; the scents of kiwi and cats, of burned fabric and steel, of wet earth and ink. There was a distinctly sweet smell as well, like strawberries mixed with sugar... A cake perhaps? He prayed that what lay beyond his front door was not what he imagined it would be.

He stuck his key into the lock and turned it accordingly, catching the sound of scraping chairs and muffled whispers. Following his eyes, his footfalls sounded past his threshold and into his darkened home. He followed the scent of food to his kitchen, where he could see the outline of quite a few people and when they jumped out to surprised him, he kept his expression as bored and annoyed as possible, trying to contain his joy.

"Happy Birthday, Gajeel!"

_**Taste**_

There was his meals, so full of flavour and various tangs that he could feel it sinking into his pallet every second that he chewed. They would swirl about his mouth and fill his stomach just as they were meant to. A quick shot to burn his throat and clean his tongue would be considered the end to a good meal, and, should the alcohol become a meal of its own later on, he knew he could find stronger stuff in Cana's secret barrels.

Then there was iron; his beautiful, thick, flavourful iron that reminded him of late nights of training, sitting by his father's belly and relishing in the crunch and metallic clang of metal in his mouth. It ran straight to his hard and through his muscles till everything felt powerful and content; the satisfaction of simply having the metal near his tongue unimaginable.

Then there was skin, her skin in particular, that carried a different hint everyday due to her ragtag adventures but remained a vital source of _her_ taste despite everything else. On his lips, it was smooth and pleasing, but his taste buds could catch all the little things she had done all at once, her last meal, her latest mission, any make-up that she had deigned to put on to suite the occasion. He was glad that he needn't deal with the latter issue, as she was well aware what he thought about such masking elements. It would doll her up but it would also alter the flavour of her body when his mouth grew hungry for hers. Indeed, it was in those moments above all the others, that Gajeel was glad to be born a dragon slayer with heightened senses.

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><p><strong>Please R&amp;R<strong>


	9. Chapter 9: Rust

**yes, it is short and it shall stay that way**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 9: Rust<strong>

It crunched under his feet, the leather and steel-tipped boots pushing into the mounds of metal. He heard the bars snap under his weight and the sound of it was so familiar to him that he just had to smile. The scrapyard had been his favourite place after Metallicana's disappearance, the innumerable amount of metal acting as a reminder of his iron loving father. The smell of metal was incredibly strong and surpassed the scent of rust that coated much of that that existed. Yet, while the rust always left the metal tasting strange, the tang had become something Gajeel had grown to like.

His hand sifted through the various types of metals- screws, bolts, bars, axles- until he found the iron he was looking for; clean and silvery; metal that he'd be using for making his meals and building weapons, bookcases and fences for the guild during their reconstruction. The thought of building a book case seemed a little outrageous to a non-reader such as himself, but it was doable if he truly wished to build one. He stuffed a few iron bars into his backpack and continued his search, red eyes scanning the piles for more of the good quality metal that he loved. Yet, he could only find such iron betwixt piles of rusted metal, the flakes of copper-coloured substances falling onto the silvery surface, so he pulled the iron out, dusting small bits of rust off the pieces before bagging the bar along with a few rusty others that gave off their dull brown colour.

He remembered the days that Metallicanna had forced him to eat only rusted iron. "It'll make you stronger, brat," he had laughed, taking pleasure in Gajeel's sour expressions. The dragon would surround his child with what seemed like mountains of rusted metal, caging him in until he could eat his way out. it had seemed such a heartless exercise at the time, since Gajeel could only remember it with distaste. But it was a memory none the less. "Can't always get the good stuff so ya gotta learn to deal with what you get."

Gajeel recalled hating the exercise, swearing to never eat that brand of iron again until his father went missing and left him only the streets and their rusted iron. Good quality iron had not been rare since his father's disappearance that Gajeel had almost forgotten what it tasted like until Jose had given him a chance to earn 'good' pay'so he could buy it himself.

"You done here, kid?"

Gajeel turned around to see the man who owned the scrapyard; the same pudgy man who had allowed Gajeel to stay in his scrapyard as long as the young slayer promised to stay out of same man who had deliberately gone out of his way to sort his yard so the better metal made it on Gajeel's side.

"Yeah, I'm done."

"Good. Now get out. Wouldn't want another Fairy Tail mage to blow up a perfectly good business."

"'Course not," said Gajeel, hauling his new metals out and away from the man. He had left payment in the man's office, although despite knowing how the owner had always insisted that a scrapyard was free to those who wished to use its materials for good. "I ain't coming back this time."

"You always say that," the man called out to him and Gajeel smirked, taking a quick glance at his bag where a thin, rusted bar stood, waiting to be used.

Yeah, he always came back.

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><p><strong>Please R&amp;R<strong>


	10. Chapter 10: Fear

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: Fear<strong>

The sunshine was not an easy thing to face after having spent so long in the dark. The rush of people in the streets around noon and the rambunctious series of cheers that came from the guild hall still unsettled him, no matter how tough he thought he was. Everything, especially the festival that had taken place not 3 nights ago, seemed too grand to him.

The windows of his apartment were small, and he almost always had his blinds drawn, pulled to their extent so that only shadows roamed the inside of his dwelling, just the way he liked it. It made everything seem more enclosed, quieter, and safer to him, although he doubted a dragon slayer of his caliber need to worry in such a town. Makarov had offered him another home, one that was bigger to say the least on it, but Gajeel had taken enough charity from the guild master; he did not want more on his conscience. He had satisfied himself with the occasional guild visit and remaining in his apartment, away from the others. All was as it should be.

But it would not remain that way. Things were changes all around Magnolia, and Gajeel wanted to avoid all of it. Yes, he wanted the guild's acceptance and yes, he felt tremendous guilt for what he had done, but there was still no chance that he would leave his quarters willingly to go out now. The guild was not ready for him; he wasn't ready for the guild. And most of all, he wasn't ready for _her_.

The 'her' being the tiny, blue haired teenager standing outside his apartment, tapping the peep hole as if by doing so, she was triggering a doorbell.

He wished she would go away. He didn't want to speak with her more than he had to. He knew that she was afraid of him; he _understood_ that she feared him for what he had done to her. He accepted the fact that she had likely feigned acceptance in their time of struggle, taking his compliment without internalizing it. And he had apologized, internally vowing to give her as much space as she desired until she grew more accustomed to him, which he supposed was now seeing as she was voluntarily seeking him out.

"Gajeel? I know you're in there." He didn't move from his spot on the sofa, his blanket covering his face from what sunlight remained in his dwelling. "Please come out. I need to talk to you." Who did she think he was? He was not some wild beast ready for taming. He was volatile and stubborn, more than she could deal with. "Gajeel!" He sincerely wished she would leave him be. "Um, I know you must be busy recovering and all, but I just wanted to thank you for helping to save the guild."

_Thank_ him? He glanced at his front door, the place her knew that Levy was no doubt standing in front of. He could catch her scent from where he lay, but there was no way that he was going to open the door. He didn't need to see her to recall the look of her; blue hair, fair skin, limbs that looked thin enough to snap like the thin branches of a baby sakura tree and he was almost positive that if he wasn't careful, he would be what broke her.

And he really needed to not do that.

"You really helped us all when Laxus attacked us and even thought we're a new guild to you, you were just as protective of it. I know a lot of the others won't say so, but we're...we're glad that you joined us." He didn't respond. He was having a difficult time processing what exactly she was saying but he was hesitant to react. His insides shifted uncomfortably when she called his name again, and, when he heard a sigh and her retreating footsteps, the feeling left him.

He cursed himself once he knew she had left, running his fingers through his tangled locks. The feeling in his chest had subsided, taking with it one type of guilt and replacing it with another. He beat down the feeling and did his best to settle into a coma like sleep. He did not want to be awake. He did not want to have to deal with her. He did not want her pity. And he definitely did not want her near him. Not yet.

More than anything, he did not want to break her again.

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><p><strong>Please R&amp;R<strong>


	11. Chapter 11: Cave

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 11: Cave<strong>

He had had heard of the gossip surrounding the area the instant that he entered the town. His cloak was wrapped tightly around his grand body, swirling about wildly like his hair when he took large strides. He had never considered cloaks in his Phantom Lord days just as he had never bothered to try and disguise himself or hide his guild mark. The clock was withdrawn from his traveling pack only when he had undercover missions to attend to, and even then it was rare. He wasn't interested in those kinds of missions in the past; he had been a brute force kind of person.

Now, he drowned the alcohol in his shot glass quickly, throwing a few jewels on the counter for payment before standing up and exiting the small bar, the whispers and the impaired brawls echoing behind him. The gossip had pertained to the forest and the mountainous region that accompanied it. Ever since Gajeel's first time visiting the village, he had heard the rumours. The vast fields and open spaces that surrounded the town were as limited as he recalled, and Gajeel knew where he had to go to get to such mysterious places.

One of the men at the bar had mentioned an immovable stone that, despite all his magic, he couldn't even shift. The man had claimed to have brought more people to see if they could move it but it still would not budge. Gajeel himself was not unfamiliar with the boulder in question, as he had been the one to fix it to the ground in the first place.

He strolled rather calmly from the dimly lit streets, the lamps burning slightly as the last of the sun sucked down beneath the mountains' peaks. There was a slight breeze but nothing to cause any shiver in his form. July winds did not carry the cold in them and, instead, brought Gajeel back to a time where the winds from his father's flight brushed back his unruly hair, tangling it even more than before. He continued his walk until he had arrived at the outskirts of the forest and even there, he paused, took a deep breath, and headed to where he knew the cave would be. He wove through the trees, not daring to slow his steps and only ceased his walk when he beheld the boulder, drenched in the freshest of moonbeams.

He put a hand to it and sensed where the metal sat, a thousand bars hidden within a casing of rock to prevent any intruders into what lay behind it. Metallicana had helped him make it long ago with old dragon magic that would be able to recognize only the dragon and his offspring anytime and felt the magic ripple through the iron and rock, reacting to his hand print like a code, as if his skin was the key to a lock, and the boulder rolled away, leaving just enough space to get in. He slipped inside and the moonlight provided him with a nightly glow to assess what lay within the cave.

It had never been much. Even when Gajeel had lived there with the Iron Dragon, nothing much had filled the cave save enough leaves to make a comfortable bed and bars of iron that Metallicana had Gajeel snatch away from the village as part of his 'training'. Besides that, it was as empty as it had been when he had first discovered it. It was just as dark and cold as it had always been.

He took a breath in through his nose and felt his heart settle instantly at the lingering scent of his father. With that, he sat down on the cool soil, crossed his legs and waited, just as he had every other July 7th, for his father to return.

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><p><strong>please R&amp;R<strong>


	12. Chapter 12: Ring

**So this is the last of my gifts to you guys! The next chapters will be quite dispersed as i'm working on many other things plus school. Ugh, school. Thanks for sticking out these last 12 days with me.**

**Until next time!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 12: Ring<strong>

All things considered, he had quite a few options to choose from. First, there was the iron, he had earned on his latest mission. He had gotten it from a smith as part of his missions reward which had been found in a remote cave and welded together by an ancient sword smith. His second option was to melt down some common iron and work from there. He also had a great deal of silver, a rare bit of gold he had been meaning to sell for the last few months, however he did not own a diamond, the rare carbon jewel incredibly expensive and near impossible to 'stumble upon' in a mission. Indeed, if he wished for a diamond ring, he would have to purchase it. He didn't actually wish to spend money. It was not like his beloved was not worth the cost -he knew quite well that she was worth more than a few compressed carbon rocks- it was more that he simply did not think it was right to spend his jewels on something he could put heart and soul in to.

Therefore the ring with the diamond was out of the question.

Would she appreciate silver or gold? He had both, but was unsure as to whether it would be good enough for a woman like her. She had never been particularly materialistic, so he supposed it wouldn't matter too much what he fashioned the ring out of. Still, it had to _mean_ something, and for him, silver and gold meant virtually nothing. She was certainly deserving of something of high quality... but it would mean nothing to him, truly, if it was not fashioned from something worthy enough, which left him with two distinct options; perfectly refined iron, and common iron. Both would work for his purpose, the silvery sheen on the high quality iron calling for Gajeel's eyes and attentions.

His common iron would aid him for a rough draft of the ring, and so he set to it, breaking, remelting, and fashioning it as well as he could with the mandrel that he had brought with him from home. The last touch was to have it imbued with his magic, and that was where his issue came into play.

It was difficult to create something that lasted, his sheen of magic covering it inadequately because the iron was weak. Natsu, whose help he had enlisted, was unable to aid him, the male constantly melting the iron farther than need be.

"I dunno if we can keep doing this. You could always buy something if it doesn't work out again."

"'S not the same thing and you know it." The pair of them had returned to his empty apartment, Natsu leaning against the bigger man's bedroom while as Gajeel sifted through the metals that lay strewn across his floor.

"Yeah, I know." He paused, no doubt thinking of the ring Gajeel had helped him make for Lucy, all glittering and gold like the stars she commanded. "So what are you gonna do about it?"

"I don't know..."

"Well, don't go giving up on me," he said, noting the disheartened look on Gajeel's face. "There's gotta be something we can do. Don't you have anything stronger?"

At the word, red eyes grew alight, fixing themselves on Natsu's curious face.

"Stronger?"

"Yeah. Anything that'll withstand both of our roars and not be completely impossible to shape. Something so strong we wouldn't even have to worry about it breaking or ruining the- what did you call it again? "

"The consistency of the iron."

"Right, that. Do you have anything that sounds like that?"

_Did_ he have anything like that? All of his options lay assembled on the floor before him, perfectly aligned so he could compare them properly...

But Natsu _was_ right, because damn it all there was another material, one Gajeel hadn't even considered in his count; Old Iron. He didn't know why he hadn't thought about it initially, although, he realized as an afterthought, it was probably because the Old Iron was in short supply as it was and the few bars he did have remained locked away in his father's cave, infused with enough dragon slayer magic able to boost one's powers a hundred fold, specifically. It'd take days to travel there and retrieve the iron if he wanted to ask Levy by Christmas. If only-

He pulled the drawer out from his desk, flipping away the base to reveal a secret compartment. Ignoring his friend's excited exclamations, he withdrew a thin bar of perfect Old Iron, shining and unrusted. He had forgotten that he had kept such a bar with him when he began working for Fairy Tail. He hadn't considered it much of an option as he hadn't touched the iron since the Grand Magic Games training.

"What is it?"

"Iron. What'd ya think it was?"

The rose haired slayer sniffed before smirking. "It's your old man's isn't it?" Gajeel made no confirmation measuring the metal carefully. "It smells just like you, but stinkier; reminds me of Igneel so it had to belong to your Pops."

"You gonna help me or what?" he asked gruffly, getting to his feet with renewed energy.

"'Course But I think we should get Wendy."

"Her? She's busy today."

"Hanging out at Juvia's isn't busy. Besides, she'd be better than any air pipe to cool the metal, and if it's dragon iron, who better than another slayer to help fashion every part of it."

He hesitated before nodding. "Fine."

"Awesome! I'll go get her!"

"I'll meet you in the forest." Gajeel continued to plan for the ring, trying to ignore the excitement he himself was feeling. Damn, he was getting sentimental.

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><p><strong>Please R&amp;R<strong>


	13. Chapter 13: Levy

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 13: Levy<strong>

"Hey." He refused to open his eyes. He had been having the most wonderful dream...it had been quite lovely, even if the plot had been entirely lost to him. Even now, he could see the last bits of his dream dancing across his eyelids...cream coloured gowns, pounding music, hands in sky-kissed hair and lips on fragrant skin- "Hey, Gajeel?"

He grumbled turning away from the sound and snatching up a pillow to hold close to his body. The source of the noise seemed to shuffle away with a resigned sigh, and silence returned to his room. He savoured it; the comfort coupled with the slow, lethargic feeling that ran through his entire body. Gajeel felt slower than usual, his muscles no doubt waking themselves up at the same, snail like pace he was. His remained in the dark a while longer, willing himself to return to the dream he had unfortunately been forced to leave. After a while, his mind blurred, drifting off and away from consciousness. He felt peace surround his body-

Until, of course, he felt the warmth of his sheets beings stripped from him and that only led to him reaching out to grab the closest warm body he had available to him. She let out a squeak at his abrupt movement, and struggled beneath his grand arms that had curled itself around her form. Her smooth skin felt lovely on his own despite being cooler and his legs set to trapping her own between them with ease.

"Lemme go."

"Nah." His lips found their way to her exposed shoulder and he took pleasure in hearing her yelp at the pressure.

"Gajeel, I may burn this place down if you don't let me go," she said instead.

"Lily can take care of it."

"Pantherlily is on a mission. You can't rely on him for everything you know."

"You cold?" he asked instead, tucking her head beneath his chin and giving her a bit of a squeeze. She ceased her squirming and settled her palms atop his, tracing the callouses with a soft smile.

"Not anymore."

"Good. Then you can keep your ass here."

There was a brief pause before she made another sound. "Gajeel!" she scolded, her hand connecting with his upper arm.

"What?"

"Get your hand out from under my shirt!"

"But your stomach's warm!"

"_You're_ supposed to be the heater in this relationship, not me. Besides, I'm making breakfast, and you need to let me go make it!"

"Maybe I don't want breakfast."

She craned her neck up so she could deliver a flat stare. "You _always_ want breakfast."

"Fine, be that way." She rolled her eyes and stretched up to let her lips brush the underside of her jaw.

"Thank you."

Tch." She rolled away from him, her hops more mesmerizing than she no doubt intended as she pranced out of his room and towards the kitchen. At her disappearing figure, he caught hints of meat and what he guessed to be bread. He didn't remember picking up a loaf...perhaps she'd done that when he was out.

Gajeel shifted in place, trying to find a comfortable position but with his human body pillow off cooking, he couldn't see much sense in continuing to lie down. He got to his feet, mourning the loss of his warm cot, and shuffled out the door to the bathroom where some rough daily hygiene was taken care of. Levy's scrawl sat posted to the wall reminding him that they had their own mission lined up just after noon, something that he was actually looking forward to. It had been quite a while since he and Levy had been on their own mission together. He looked forward to spending some more time with her...

"Hey, Lev?"

"Yeah?" she called back.

"Thanks."

He heard her laugh greet his ears like an old friend, its warmth filling him up completely. "Love you too, Gajeel."

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><p><strong>thoughts? please R&amp;R if you have the time!<strong>


	14. Chapter 14: Fish

**A gift for reading week!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 14: Fish<strong>

He was patient when it came to certain things. He couldn't say that about fighting or eating or anything action packed, but there were certain things that he could be stomach waiting for.

Fishing, unfortunately, was not one of those things. Regretfully, he could not say that it was and when Lily claimed to be craving fish and wished to be taken to the lake, he had been hesitant to go. The Exceed had been able to ask Happy or Charle where their reserves sat, but instead he had requested that Gajeel accompany him on this mission to satisfy his craving if only to practice his fishing skills. Still, Gajeel had the sneaking suspicion that Lily's invitation to Levy was the reason Happy nor Charle had been consulted in the slightest.

Which, of course, was why the three of them were tucked in a small row boat floating peacefully in the middle of Moon Lake, a modest body of water sitting within a nearby forest.

Levy and Lily were chatting, had been chatting for an extended period time; about what, he was not certain. He had tuned them out long ago; the instant she had mentioned cookbooks and a new kiwi concoction that Lily simply _had_ to try. He stared out into the water instead, watching the boat and the thin fishing line cause slight ripples through the water. His eyes sought the sights past the top and through the body of blue for the fish his partner craved. Juvia had been able to locate the place relatively easily, as she and Gray had apparently stumbled upon it on the odd mission or two. It was quite an empty place, devoid of cabins or tents that he knew often occupied lake side. The entire area was eerily peaceful, as it often was when he and Lily went out. Silence often dominated such trips, but lately Lily had become more and more talkative, prodding at the tough exterior of his partner until conversation could be made at relatively frequent intervals.

Especially, Gajeel had grown to notice, when Levy was involved.

"-can't quite believe it's true. Is it Gajeel?" he jolted back into the conversation, fixing her with a sort of glare. "What's that for?"

"He doesn't enjoy being caught unaware. Not many beasts like him do."

"I suppose he is a bit like a beast," mused Levy a twinkle in her eyes. "Perhaps like a bear? He's certainly got the hair for it."

"At least bears are good at fishing."

"Oi." He aimed a smack at Lily's head, but the Exceed simply unfurled his wings and placed himself elsewhere. "I'm good enough."

"You'll have to prove it then. I've yet to see you catch one."

"Neither have you," he pointed out.

"Really?" As if on cue, the cord went taunt, the rod bending at the force beneath the water as Lily reeled in a fresh piece of fish, much to his partner's displeasure. He scowled and Lily let out a laugh. "I thought so."

"Don't worry, Gajeel, you'll get it soon!"

"I don't need your pity, shrimp." He tried to settle into his seat, annoyed that they had been there for a solid hour with no results save Lily's catch which sat on the boat's floor, soaking the wood with its desperate writhing.

"Oh, don't be like that, Gajeel. You'll get one eventually; Levy is completely right."

"I thought you never fished?"

"I never said such a thing. I merely said that I didn't have _time_ to fish, not that it never happened," the Exceed pointed out slyly.

"So you've fished before Lily?" Levy asked, throwing Gajeel a quick glance.

"A few times, yes. I used to go with my father before I joined Jellal and his cause. Military officials don't get a lot of days off.." Once the fish had ceased its movement, Pantherlily dried it with a towel and placed it in the empty basket that awaited the meat.

"Have you fished before as well, Gajeel?" she prodded lightly.

"His head tilted towards the sound of her voice though his eyes never left the water. "A couple times."

"Did you go with your father as well?"

The words were gentle, undemanding, and Gajeel was quite certain that she was not expecting him to answer her question at all. A few years ago, he would have long since left the boat and swam to shore just to avoid such an inquiry. But things were different now; as was he.

"Nah, he was too lazy. I did all the real work." The memory flickered behind his eyes, ready to surface when his attention was suddenly turned to the dipping of the fishing rod, the bait slipping into the water violently. It was reeled in with a struggle, and when Gajeel grew annoyed by the tug-of-war. He took hold of the wire himself and yanked the attached fish out of the lake and into the boat.

"Thanks!" gasped Levy, trying to wrangle the squirming fish with Lily's aid. At one point, it's flailing tail connected with the delicate skin of her cheek, causing it to bloom red while the sun glinted off any stray scales that had attached themselves to her. She wrestled it with the towel, continuing until its life faded and with it, any struggle.

Gajeel had removed his eyes from her water-specked sundress and wet skin to stare intently at his motionless rod. Maybe they were just lucky, he reassured himself. The idea didn't seem to far-fetched; Pantherlily, despite his black cat stigma, was rather lucky and fortunate when it came to things in relation to chance. Lily's proficiency in the betting pool that Mira had set up was a perfect example. His weekly winnings had begun to pile up just after the Grand Magic Games and Gajeel was suspicious about it all.

Still, it didn't seem to be rubbing off on him considering that the dragon slayer was still fishless.

"Gajeel! Isn't it great?! I caught one!" the scent of fish grew sharply and he sighed to himself at the excitement in her voice. If it was anyone else, they would have been pitched off the boat for gloating, but this was _Levy_. She probably couldn't gloat even if she tried. His eyes watched her glinting orbs with amusement and removed a hand from the rod to ruffle the blue locks around her bandanna.

"Good job, shrimp."

They sat on the boat a while longer until Levy announced her hunger, which led to a moored boat and the young mage preparing to start a fire. Gajeel and Lily had taken up setting the fish to spits to make cooking them easier.

"You know," started Lily, "you're quite good at fishing for other things."

"Like what?" he scoffed, shoving a cleaned spit of wood through the mouth of a dead water creature. If Lily was going to say compliments, Gajeel was going to deck him-

"Like shrimp, for example?"

Gajeel didn't think he'd ever heard Lily laugh as loud as he had at Gajeel's subsequent outburst.

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><p><strong>Thoughts? R&amp;R if you can and i hope you have a great week! (for those of you not on reading week, I still hope you have an amazing week!)<strong>


	15. Chapter 15: Fire

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 15: Fire<strong>

"So we don't _have_ to breath fire?"

"Nah, just the flame brain," put in Gajeel, taking pleasure in Natsu's outburst. He dodged the blazing ball that the fair haired slayer threw at him with a grin and stuck out a mocking tongue. The back and forth was all play between the pair and he did not doubt that Wendy would have been embarrassed by them had they not been in such a private place like the forest they resided in now.

"Fire is awesome!"

"It if was so awesome, we'd all be able to do it."

"But Natsu," spoke up Wendy, trying to slip back into the conversation, "doesn't it hurt?"

"Not really," he answered before flashing Gajeel a look too. "It doesn't hurt to do your Iron Dragon's Roar, does it, scrap heap?"

"Yer asking to be whooped right now-" His legs itched to rise simple to aid in kicking his fellow slayer's ass, but the blue locks in the corner of his eye stalled him. "No," he said through gritted teeth. "it doesn't hurt; not anymore."

"Are you saying that it used to?" Wendy flattened her dress, looking up at him with such curiousity.

"When I was your age it hurt like hell, but then I got stronger. Bet you got scorched when you were a brat," he shot at Natsu, who crossed his arms with a huff.

"I used to," he admitted. "It sucked."

Wendy let out a sigh. "I wish I could be like you guys."

Gajeel blinked and when his eyes met Natsu's, they shared a look of mixed confusion and concern. "Why'd you want that?"

"I mean, we're cool at all, but you're pretty awesome yourself!" reassured the fire mage, but his enthusiasm did not seem as infectious to the small girl whose countenance was still marred by a weak smile.

"No, I'm not."

Another look, this one coated with worry.

"Wendy, you don't have to fight. You have some awesome fighting skills already and you're also a healer. Your slayer magic is powerful." Natsu beamed however she did not return it as she usually did.

"But not powerful enough. What if I can't protect Charle? What if I'm kidnapped again?"

"We won't let that happen," promised Natsu, gaze flicking to Gajeel's for support.

"He ain't wrong," Gajeel affirmed, continuing to lean again the trunk of a tree nearly twice his height. Her nails dug into the gentle flesh of her palm as she fixed her eyes on the ground, brows furrowed. He knew that look; it was far too familiar to ignore, and Natsu seemed to think similarly because they shifted towards her simultaneously.

"Wendy, I don't think you get it."

"Yer the strongest slayer of your age. You've done what we could never do."

"But-" she started before both slayers vehemently shut her down.

"No buts.

"Ya ain't weak."

"You're strong!"

"And gettin' stronger by the second."

Gajeel shifted to one knee to get as close to her level as possible. "You don't see how much fire you've already got runnin' through those tiny veins. Yer the child of a dragon, Wendy. Nobody can defeat you unless you let them."

"And you're too tough to ket 'em, right, Wendy?" Natsu placed a hand on the girls' head and in that moment, Gajeel felt closer to his fellow slayers than he ever had before.

"Right."

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><p><strong>Please R&amp;R!<strong>


	16. Chapter 16: Song

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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><p><strong>Chapter 16: Song<strong>

Her fingers were reaching for the strings, pushing desperately at the neck so she could reach them. She would make it but only just, her pads slipping off each string followed by a frustrated huff. It was not helping and served to strain her hand more as she tried to force her digits into the correct position.

"Not fair," she grumbled, re situating her fingers once again over the wires. He allowed his digits to press down, tapping on the tips of her fingers to show her where to position them, and snorted when she fumbled again. "It's not funny, Gajeel," she huffed, light orbs seeking his own.

"Kinda is."

"You're just not a good teacher."

"I'm a fine teacher! Maybe yer not a great student."

"But I'm just doing what _you_ told me to!"

"Here." He pushed her hand against the neck, fingers curling around her to guide them. They felt warm, following faithfully until he still and pressed her calloused hands onto the strings. All things considered, they were quite close to each other, her shoulder digging into his chest, jabbing the curve of a button into his skin. He itched to re-orientate her but the satisfaction of their proximity overshadowed the prickles of discomfort he had. "_That's_ how you do it."

He removed his skin from hers, feeling the warmth of her hand linger beneath his before fading. She must have been feeling a similar heat ghost over her hand because hers nearly rose with him simply to regain what it had lost. "Ah"

"Fingers on strings, shrimp," he cut in, poking her fingers back into their position, "and strum." She pulled her arm back and allowed gravity to lead the pick past the strings where the sound of her chord vibrated through the air. "There you go."

She tried it our again, alternating between hitting each string individually and strumming rapidly. She seemed to enjoy herself as she practiced the motions and he couldn't help but feel proud of her accomplishment. Maybe he could teach her the full song...

"Gajeel?" He froze at the hesitant tone that was clearly different from before. The 'I'm-going-to-ask-a-question' tone. "You write songs, right?"

"What about it?"

"How do you write them?"

"With my hands."

She bumped him. "I meant, how do you come up with them? I've heard you play at the guild and I've always wondered how you came up with the lyrics."

"Lyrics are the hardest part," he admitted reluctantly, unable to ignore the wide eyes that had turned to study his features. Even looking away from her had not lessened their affect.

"Then how do you write them? She strummed in more fragmented movements, as if attempting to sound as casual as possible.

"I gotta be writin' something I know about."

"Like you have to be inspired?"

"Sure."

"So what inspires you?"

"Anything; everything."

"Everything?"

"Yeah."

"Like Lily?"

He flicked red to her sharply. "What makes you think I write songs about my _cat_?"

She shrugged, her lips turning up at his tone. "You're a cat person. I just figured that it made the most sense."

"I don't," he said brusquely, "I got better things to be inspired by."

"Like?"

The words 'like you' remained lodged in his throat, unmoving from their spot and refusing to be made known. "Stuff." He tried not to hold her gaze too long for fear that it would convey more than he was willing to. She seemed to search his guarded face for something; any hints for what lay within but found nothing, thankfully.

"Would you tell me what kind of stuff?"

"No." It was a flat out response, one he pulled all emotion out of as best as he could.

"Not even if I asked really nicely?" She'd stopped strumming, remnants of sound echoing through the park. It hummed in the air and held the last chord as she stared at him.

"You? Nice?" he scoffed, glancing away.

"Sure, nicely. Or you could play me something and I could guess at it." He felt a pressure on his knee and when he risked a glance back at her, he could catch her breath like a whisper against his neck. "Please?"

He felt his chest clench and snatched the guitar from her lap, grumbling under his breath. She'd _never_ done that to him before; she was too innocent to. She had learned it from Natsu's bunny girl, he was sure about. The blonde demon had taught the shrimp to be seductive and enticing and completely in control of a male. She was dangerous, he deemed, watching Levy fold her legs beneath her in preparation. She seemed oblivious to what she had done, but he didn't trust it. Women were tricky.

He started to strum, putting the thought out of his head while the song he had been attempting to teach her rolled out with ease under his fingers. Simple melodies with simple lyrics; nothing she hadn't heard before...

Gajeel was certain nobody but Lily had heard this particular piece despite whom he had composed it for. He refused to meet her eyes as he played, focusing on the notes, the strumming, and the lyrics that accompanied it. As he opened his mouth to continue, he felt apprehension slither through his veins. What if she wouldn't like it? It would be a shame if she didn't, considering-

"Gajeel!"

He muted the strings, muscles fixed in a scowl. The wing beats pushed the hair from his eyes, making his displeasure even more prominent.

"Gajeel! Levy! I see you were enjoying yourselves!"

"Plenty." The slayer stood with the neck of his guitar sitting firmly in his hand. "I'm headin' back."

"But you didn't finish the song," protested Levy, getting to her feet as well but the slayer had already started moving away.

"That's all I got," he shouted back, putting more distance between them as his face coloured, the last of his confidence wilting away.

"What's wrong with him?" he caught Levy asking Lily, the space doing nothing to his hearing abilities.

"Knowing him, he's probably embarrassed that I stopped his attempt to serenade you."

"_Serenade_?"

"Why yes," the Exceed laughed, and Gajeel vowed to give the cat a long lecture when he arrived home. "He wrote it for you months ago. Did the lyrics not give it away?"

"I didn't realize," she said softly. He couldn't hear her when she added, "It was beautiful."


	17. Chapter 17: Soft

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 17: Soft<strong>

"You know, I get the feeling that you would have skinned a bear if given the opportunity."

"What are you yappin' about now?"

"Your old wardrobe, of course." The Exceed took a sip of juice as Gajeel narrowed his eyes, inspecting the face of his companion.

"I don't know what yer talkin' about." He popped a bolt in his mouth, munching on it as Lily raised a dark eyebrow at the comment.

"You don't recall? Perhaps I should go retrieve some of them. It might jog your memory. The feathered one is my personal favourite," he added and the slayer groaned.

"Where'd you find it?"

"That back of your closet. Honestly, I was surprised at how much you had in that box."

"It was labeled 'old clothes' for a reason, cat."

"Old is one way to describe them, certainly. You have quite a few dark piece but all of them have similar animal based properties. For example," he paused to watch Gajeel squirm in his seat, "you went through an animal print stage."

"It was for a mission," he protested sorely.

"What kind of mission? Were you perhaps commissioned to infiltrate a guild full of tigers?"

"Cat-"

"Or perhaps cheetahs? I've heard you can find them in rare enclosings or even the circus."

"I-"

"Your feather collection is more impressive." Pantherlily smirked as his friend's face fell into his large hands. "Your varying shades of black make for some interesting outfits."

"Ugh."

"Don't be such a child, Gajeel." He tried to force the burn from his cheeks; the one that was making Pantherlily laugh. "I have heard that it is common for humans to use clothing to make statements and that the teenage years often lead to a series of similar patterns. It would be strange if you had not."

"Whatever."

"Metal and animals; an interesting mix. Why is that though?"

"What do you mean?" He raised his head and fixed Lily with another look.

"Metal is for your father -an honourable choice- however the animals with their fur and feather...why did they appeal to you at all?"

"I don't know. They were warm?"

"Not quite, my friend." The cat took another drink. "Feathers about one arm denotes flare, not a desire for warmth. And while you are a bit of a drama queen-"

"Hey!"

"-you are not as foolish as you seem."

"Couldn't just leave it alone, could you?"

"Not at all. So go on. Tell me what exactly is the reason for the feathers and fur?" Gajeel refused to respond, his mind pulling up every wall it could to prevent his mouth from giving voice to his thoughts. The Exceed would laugh at him; he was sure of it. "Well?"

"It was just a phase."

"Gajeel, I am not going to be judgmental. The Jellal of my world underwent similar things; it is not strange. Tell me."

"No."

"Gajeel."

"No."

"Gajeel!"

"No."

"Gajeel, be reasonable-"

"I said _no_."

"Fine." The Exceed flashed him a sly look. "I can just show those to-"

"Alright, fine," he growled, scowling at the grin that graced his partner's maw.

"I'm glad you see it my way."

"It's soft," he muttered underneath his breath, snapping a bar between jagged teeth.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said, it's soft. The fur and shit; they're soft." He raised an eyebrow at his partner's wide-eyed countenance. "What?"

"Nothing." Lily blinked from across the table.

"No, seriously, what? You've givin' me that look."

"I don't know what you mean. I just wasn't expecting you to say that, is all." They sat together for a few moments more, the sound of juice swirling in a cup with crunching metal echoing through their kitchen. He hoped Pantherlily would let it go. With any luck, Gajeel would be able to slip the clothes away while the cat slept and burn them. If not, he was sure there were a few orphanages that wouldn't mind some new clothes, especially ones so soft.

Still, with that in mind, he still hadn't stopped wearing soft pieces. It may have appeared so to the Exceed, but though metal was still his element, he was not completely lost when it came to picking clothing that, though devoid of it in instances, would be comfortable.

Prime example? The fabric he was wearing across his forehead.

"I should have noticed it," Lily said finally, the muscles around his mouth smooth and relaxed. "You do have an affinity for soft things."

"Huh?"

"The old clothes, myself. Why, your hair, even if you make it look spiky, is actually quite soft. I can't believe I haven't noticed it before."

"Lil-"

"Not to worry; I won't tell anyone. Although," his eyes regained their teasing glint, "it certainly does make gift shopping incredibly easy. How does a blanket sound for Christmas?"

"Ugh."

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><p><strong>And this ends my reading week gift for this particular story. Stay tuned in the months to come for more! Thanks for reading!<strong>


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